In 56+ years on this planet, my hair has never touched my shoulders. Now that I'm retired, I'd like to try it just once.

So my questions basically boil down to this: Do I just have to accept the fact that there will be a period (probably lengthy) where I'm gonna look like a "domicile-challenged person"? My wife tells me I'm gonna have to have it styled, I was thinking I would just comb/brush it back out of the way.

I thought the beard would be the hard part of retirement, but that's coming along nicely.

You'll need to keep it styled as it gains length or you will indeed look homeless.

And the sign said
"Long-haired freaky people
Need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat
And I went in to ask him why
He said, "You look like a fine upstandin' young man
I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat and said, "Imagine that
Huh, me workin' for you"
Whoa

You'd run the risk of people who don't know you thinking there goes a guy who never got past his days as a young buck. You can see that in guys half generation older that still have Elvis hair.

People you do know you and haven't seen you in a while may be exhilarated and a tad jealous.

Flaunt it if you've got it, go for it!

Can't help you Allen...I hardly have any.

I really just wanna see what it's like. LOL The past 13 years it's been a fade with a 1.5 guard back and sides and a 3 on top.

But I was also wanting "low maintenance". It's been really nice not shaving, but I have learned the beard is not "no maintenance". I was kinda wanting that with the hair. Plus, I like barbershops, salons no so much.

Are you considering the..... Man bun? Fashionable these days!

♫ And a pony tail, hangin' down ... ♫

Wear a hat for the awkward period, you'll be fine. The whole thing is a serious adjustment. I did it once after I got married. Let it go for three years, it went all the way down to my ass. The conundrum became whether to trim it because it got so heavy it was pulling on my scalp, or just cut it all off at once so I could donate it. I opted for the latter, kept a high fade since. Damn near gave myself whiplash the first time I turned to look at something after I cut it off.

Oh, and long hair is not "low maintenance." It's lots of maintenance. Trust me when I say you're going to have to learn how to wash your hair.

I'm still rocking my long hair at 50+, Ala Newstead style.



Go for it!

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Are you considering the..... Man bun? Fashionable these days!

Had long hair in High School. (1976) Also had it as a Professor in the early 2000’s. Both times it was long enough to tuck in my shirt pocket.

I kept it clean, which wasn’t a big deal, and kept it in a pony tail most of the time. As a shop teacher there was some danger from power tools.

People did make unbased judgements when they saw it. Today it would really be a non-issue.

Well, he's a friend of them long haired, hippy-type, pinko fags!
I betchya he's even got a commie flag tacked up on the wall inside of his garage.

When I got the interview for the D.A's office I cut my past the shoulder length hair and gelled it back. The gel didn't hold very long and one guy on the interview panel who would end up being my closest friend said there was much discussion on hiring a dude rocking a "Dutch Boy" haircut.

Had long hair 1970 to 1973. Kind of figured once I retired I’d let it go again. Well I found out that it was too much of a PITA and as it grows longer it curls more. Combined with the thinning top, that made me reconsider.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
...and as it grows longer it curls more.

Mine got wavy when it hit the neck, if my high school pics are an indication.

I stopped getting haircuts when I got out of the service, because I could. Up until the day I was changing the oil on my bike and my hair was laying in the catchpan.

quote:

Originally posted by 2012BOSS302:
Well, he's a friend of them long haired, hippy-type, pinko fags!
I betchya he's even got a commie flag tacked up on the wall inside of his garage.

Lol. The first thing that came to my mind upon reading the thread title.

I had a mullet back in the 80s. When I was growing it out, I kept getting it cut monthly:

to keep the back shaped to look good

supposedly cutting off a little makes it grow faster. Perhaps it's an old wives tale...

had to keep the front "business" length

Now, everything from the neck up can be trimmed with clippers w/ 2 different length guards. Less time in the barber's chair, less time every morning, and it dries faster in the winter. I much more likely to grow it shorter (i.e. 1 length guard) than I am to grow it long again.